The Rise and Fall of the Romans provides a chronological account of the formation, battles and campaigns of the Roman state and democracy, from the foundation and growth of the city, to the epic struggles with Carthage during the Punic Wars and the resultant expansion throughout the Mediterranean.
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The Greek statesman Polybius (c.200–118 BC) wrote his account of the relentless growth of the Roman Empire in order to help his fellow countrymen understand how their world came to be dominated by Rome. Opening with the Punic War in 264 BC, he vividly records the critical stages of Roman expansion: its campaigns throughout the Mediterranean, the temporary setbacks inflicted by Hannibal and the final destruction of Carthage. An active participant of the politics of his time as well as a friend of many prominent Roman citizens, Polybius drew on many eyewitness accounts in writing this cornerstone work of history.
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Beginning in the eighth century B.C., Ancient Rome grew from a small town on central Italy's Tiber River into an empire that at its peak encompassed most of continental Europe, Britain, much of western Asia, northern Africa and the Mediterranean islands. Among the many legacies of Roman dominance are the widespread use of the Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian) derived from Latin, the modern Western alphabet and calendar and the emergence of Christianity as a major world religion. After 450 years as a republic, Rome became an empire in the wake of Julius Caesar's rise and fall in the first century B.C. The long and triumphant reign of its first emperor, Augustus, began a golden age of peace and prosperity; by contrast, the empire's decline and fall by the fifth century A.D. was one of the most dramatic implosions in the history of human civilization. As legend has it, Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. Left to drown in a basket on the Tiber by a king of nearby Alba Longa and rescued by a she-wolf, the twins lived to defeat that king and found their own city on the river's banks in 753 B.C. After killing his brother, Romulus became the first king of Rome, which is named for him. A line of Sabine, Latin and Etruscan (earlier Italian civilizations) kings followed in a non-hereditary succession. Rome's era as a monarchy ended in 509 B.C. with the overthrow of its seventh king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, whom ancient historians portrayed as cruel and tyrannical, compared to his benevolent predecessors. A popular uprising was said to have arisen over the rape of a virtuous noblewoman, Lucretia, by the king's son. Whatever the cause, Rome turned from a monarchy into a republic, a world derived from res publica, or "property of the people." Scroll to the top of the page and click buy now to learn more about this exciting period of history
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In the history of empires, few compare in influence to the Roman Empire. In the course of its 500-year history, the empire yielded advances in philosophy, governance, science, and the arts that are still relied upon today. Despite its long span and enduring legacy, however, the empire eventually succumbed to its Visigoth invaders. This enchanting narrative traces the history of ancient Rome, from its beginnings through its days as a republic and into the evolution and dissolution of its empire. Cultural achievements of the empire are placed in historical context, and a timeline conveniently summarizes key events for quick reference.
Posted in Juvenile Nonfiction

Can the demise of a government 1,500 years ago have repercussions felt around the globe centuries later? If that government is the powerful Roman Empire, it can. From first century B.C. through fifth century A.D., the Romans ruled over an empire that stretched across much of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Then in 476, a leader from a Germanic group called the Goths overthrew the Roman Emperor. To this day, questions still exist about how such a powerful empire could have been destroyed. Roman culture, language, and technology had great influence on all areas under the empire's control. After the fall, Europe entered the early Middle Ages, a period of fragmentation characterized by a decline in trade, learning, and artistic achievement. The rise—and fall—of the Roman Empire are one of world history's most pivotal moments.
Posted in Juvenile Nonfiction

Beginning with the founding myths of Romulus and Remus and a succession of probably fictitious kings, Anthony Everitt charts the development of Rome from its origins as a small market town in the eighth century BC, through various forms of patrician government, up to Caesar's victory in the Civil War that defeated the Roman Republic and paved the way for Augustus to transform republican oligarchy into imperial autocracy. Using recent archaeological evidence and historical facts, and a wealth of legend and anecdote, Everitt shows how Rome grew – both internally, via ever more ambitious construction projects, and externally, through successful military campaigns. In doing so, he highlights some fascinating parallels between ancient Roman society and the modern world. As readable and accessible as it is authoritative and scholarly, THE RISE OF ROME is the perfect introduction to Roman history and civilization for the general reader.
Posted in History

This is the story of the greatest empire the world has ever known. Simon Baker charts the rise and fall of the world's first superpower, focusing on six momentous turning points that shaped Roman history. Welcome to Rome as you've never seen it before - awesome and splendid, gritty and squalid. From the conquest of the Mediterranean beginning in the third century BC to the destruction of the Roman Empire at the hands of barbarian invaders some seven centuries later, we discover the most critical episodes in Roman history: the spectacular collapse of the 'free' republic, the birth of the age of the 'Caesars', the violent suppression of the strongest rebellion against Roman power, and the bloody civil war that launched Christianity as a world religion. At the heart of this account are the dynamic, complex but flawed characters of some of the most powerful rulers in history: men such as Pompey the Great, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Nero and Constantine. Putting flesh on the bones of these distant, legendary figures, Simon Baker looks beyond the dusty, toga-clad caricatures and explores their real motivations and ambitions, intrigues and rivalries. The superb narrative, full of energy and imagination, is a brilliant distillation of the latest scholarship and a wonderfully evocative account of Ancient Rome.
Posted in History

The ultimate empire, a power that spanned continents and cultures... the story of the Roman Empire is the ultimate tale of glory and the risks of absolute power. Walk hand in hand with the citizens of Rome and learn about the way of life in this diverse and complex culture. Travel with Roman Emperors as they expand their reach into the East and Africa. And finally, enjoy all the perils and mysteries of one of the richest cultures to ever grace the earth. The third and final part in the historical trilogy of Ancient Rome, The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire is perhaps the most exciting installment yet.
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Posted on 2006 by Leif E. Vaage,Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion

Author: Leif E. Vaage,Canadian Corporation for Studies in Religion

Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier Univ Pr

ISBN: 9780889204492

Category: Religion

Page: 324

View: 3818

Religious Rivalries in the Early Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianitydiscusses the diverse cultural destinies of early Christianity, early Judaism, and other ancient religious groups as a question of social rivalry.The book is divided into three main sections. The first section debates the degree to which the category of rivalry adequately names the issue(s) that must be addressed when comparing and contrasting the social "success" of different religious groups in antiquity. The second is a critical assessment of the common modern category of "mission" to describe the inner dynamic of such a process; it discusses the early Christian apostle Paul, the early Jewish historian Josephus, and ancient Mithraism. The third section of the book is devoted to "the rise of Christianity," primarily in response to the similarly titled work of the American sociologist of religion Rodney Stark.While it is not clear that any of these groups imagined its own success necessarily entailing the elimination of others, it does seem that early Christianity had certain habits, both of speech and practice, which made it particularly apt to succeed (in) the Roman Empire.
Posted in Religion

The Rise and Fall of the Holy Roman Empire is the only complete history of the Holy Roman Empure currently in print. The vain attempt of the Holy Roman Empire to restore the legacy of ancient Rome is recounted in full. Unlike other histories, Dr. Criswell covers both emperors and popes, who were by charter co-rulers of the empire, and discusses the whole empire as it extended at various times far beoynd Germany and Italy to Spain, England, France, and even to Constantiniople, Jerusalem, and the Americas. Preferring facts to interpretation, Dr. Criswell has presented this history as a chronoligcal narrative, discussing each and every emperor and pope, as well as the dominant kings of Europe, from the time of Charlemagne to the empire's fall under Napoleon. The result is a history that combines Church history with secular history and is the first comprehensive, yet conscise, history of the Holy Roman Empire.
Posted in History

"Ancient Empires is a relatively brief yet comprehensive and even-handed overview of the ancient Near East, the Mediterranean, and Europe, including the Greco-Roman world, Late Antiquity, and the early Muslin period. The book emphasizes the central, if problematic, connection between political and ideological power in both empire-formation and resistance. By defining the ancient world as a period strectching from the Bronze Age into the early Muslim world, it is broader in scope than competing books; yet at the same time its tight thematic concentration keeps the narrative engagingly focused"--
Posted in History

The chronological style of The Later Roman Republic allows the reader to study the development of the Empire, its external and internal struggles and characters. It was a period marked by a near continuous conflict between republicans and those seeking dictatorship, slave uprisings and empire building. In 147 BC Macedonia was annexed as a Roman province. By 133 BC Greece and most of Spain were conquered. By the end of the period Roman armies had marched into The Middle East, and conquered the German tribes and the Gauls. In 55 BC Julius Caesar tried to invade Britain, but was put off by British warriors and the weather. By 27 BC, when Octavian was named Augustus and became the first Emperor of Rome, the Roman Empire stretched across most of Western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. By detailing each year in turn, the reader is able to gain an understanding of how events unfolded throughout this turbulent and fascinating period of history. Where there are a number of conflicts, each is shown as a separate entry, be it the Punic Wars, Spartacus, Caesar or Cicero. Thus, the reader is able to study a chosen area of operations in isolation while assessing its wider impact upon the Romans or their enemies.
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This stimulating, uniquely organized, and wonderfully readable comparison of ancient Rome and China offers provocative insights to students and general readers of world history. The book's narrative is clear, completely jargon-free, strikingly independent, and addresses the complete cycles of two world empires. The topics explored include nation formation, state building, empire building, arts of government, strategies of superpowers, and decline and fall.
Posted in History